In that time, I've enjoyed many of the perks that come with working remotely, including, but not limited to: starting the work day without having showered or brushed my teeth, sending off emails in my underwear (helpful in combating the oppressive heat of a Queensland summer!), and 'coming to' from a comatose-like state, only to realise I've been staring at my sleeping cat for the better part of an hour.

"42 per cent of those who regularly work from home cited catching up on work as the main reason," said Jennifer Humphrys, Director of Labour Market Analytics at the ABS. "A further 20 per cent regularly worked from home because they wanted an office or didn't want to pay rent or overheads."

Additional research conducted by Indeed in 2019 found that 68 per cent of Australian employers are now allowing employees to work remotely, citing increased productivity and morale, as well as reduced employee turnovers.

However, the work-from-home movement has been bolstered in recent months by growing fears over the spread of COVID-19, with Recode reporting a dramatic spike in the United States.

According to financial data platform Sentieo, the month of February saw 77 public company transcripts mention the phrases “work from home” or “working from home,” up from only FOUR mentions of the phrase this time last year, with an overwhelming majority of documents also mentioning coronavirus.

Is coronavirus going to show the business world you don’t actually need to travel to that v important meeting, a video call is just as good, plus you don’t waste 2 days travelling?

Week 5 of working from home because of coronavirus, and I’m starting to miss my human colleagues - Gunnersaurus has filed a HR complaint against Lunar New Year Pepe, and the Pikachus are trying to unionise pic.twitter.com/l8PFERCC8O

I think as a precaution against coronavirus all of us in cities with populations greater than 2 million should just start working from home now. It’s the only responsible thing to do really. It’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.

CDC just stated on teleconference that Americans need to start preparing for significant disruptions to daily life. (Working from home, keeping the kids from school, planning for life without daycare, etc) The time to prep is now folks. Not if but when. #COVIDー19#coronavirus

Well just got informed that someone in my company on the floor above mine was exposed to the coronavirus and that everyone should take precautions... you can bet your ass I’m working from home the next month or so

Now, with international companies including Google and Twitter sending workers home, some are wondering whether ongoing vigilance around the coronavirus will have lasting impacts on how Australian employers and employees view working remotely.

"This might be dumb, but I'm actually a little worried about growth in working from home," he tweeted. "Since work is one of the only places adults find community and new friendships these days. I'm not saying that's how it should be, but it is how it is."

While I've enjoyed working from home, and have been incredible grateful for flexible employment, I've also experienced the numerous downsides of an isolated work environment. As someone living with depression and anxiety, I often going entire days without saying a word out loud, which can make it more difficult to become 'unstuck' from negative thinking patterns. I miss having coffee with my colleagues, hearing about other workers' families, and sharing thoughts on TV shows and news events.

"Week 5 of working from home because of coronavirus, and I’m starting to miss my human colleagues," one social media user tweeted, sharing a photo of her laptop surrounded by plush toys.

Speaking to The Guardian, Matthew Knight of Leapers, a community that supports the mental health of freelancers, had some advice for those finding themselves working from home for the first time.

“Don’t just suffer in silence,” he told the publication. “Let your manager or co-workers know how you’re feeling. Nine times out of 10, sharing how you’re feeling with people really helps.”

And one word of wisdom from this self-employed work-from-home-er: group chats are the office kitchens of the future.